Vladimir Tzepesci
Vladimir Tzepesci, also known as the Dark Prince of Umbrey, is a Khador Warcaster of considerable power. History In times of old, before the Iron Kingdoms, certain lands in Khador were the provinces of barbarians. Chieftains ruled these hordes, and horselords ruled these chieftains. Of noble stock, their families ruled for generations with oppressive strength and calculated cruelty, as well as a will to organize the chaos of the world. Their bloodlines have all but faded into obscurity in the fullness of time, like the shadows of a bygone age. The Tzepesci, who were one of the strongest families to rule the provinces of Old Umbrey, is the last of the great families. Indeed, a millennia ago, the Tzepesci were the governors of Old Korska before it fell into ruin, and during the Iron Kingdoms Era they controlled the throne of all Khador for a time. It is said that when the Tzepesci line comes to an end, a great doom shall be visited upon all Khador. Vladimir Tzepesci- called the Dark Prince for the shadowy prophecy that he bears -is the last of that line. Steeped in the traditions of old, he is a living relic to past glories and bloody deeds, and his noble bearing is testimony of an ancient lineage. An imposing man with coal black hair, Vladimir refuses to shave his head in the latest fashion. So powerful is the blood in his veins, men shy from his gaze. He is a man of few words, but the Dark Prince is accustomed to being heard when he speaks. As some men are born to paint or write great works of poetry, Vladimir was born to make war. A brilliant tactician as well as a potent warcaster, he has waged many great campaigns in the service of his queen, from time-to-time orchestrating the whole of Khador's military might. A swordsman without compare, he scythes through the battlefield, visiting swift death upon all that dare cross swords with him. Worthy opponents are treated to longer duels, while most enemies are dispatched with little consideration. Vladimir takes great pride in his armor. Refusing to abandon his family traditions, he wars the same enchanted, ancient plate of his forefathers. Although it has seen some alchemical and sorcerous repair over the centuries, it is the same suit of crimson mail that his horselord ancestor, Prince Buruvan Tzepesci, wore in battle against the Orgoth. In his service to Queen Vanar XI, Vladimir has trained other warcasters, and it is no great secret that he became intimately acquainted with the young and promising Sorscha Kratikoff during her mentoring. Little is known of the affair other than it ended quite abruptly, and left Sorscha distinctively changed; this has birthed some speculation that she was rebuffed due to her lowly heritage. Whatever the case, Vladimir is determined to stay true to the legacy of his forefathers, who were always strong and faithful to their duties, even at the expense of their own happiness. There are those who call such notions- and his adherence to ancient tradition -nothing more than exercise in vanity, but for Vladimir Tzepesci it is the only life he knows. Though respected for his great accomplishments, not all who meet Vladimir love him. It is whispered in secret amongst the courts that the time of the Tzepescis has passed, and Vladimir is but an unpleasant reminder of a crueler time. These conspirators neither believe in the grave prophecy nor in the man they see as a threat to their own designs. Rather, they anticipate the day when the Dark Prince falls and the vast treasures of the Tzepesci family are annexed into the vaults of Khador. References # Warmachine Prime, pages 144 and 145. Category:Khador Category:Warcaster